Use of quality-of-life-related (QoL) eHealth interventions with Latino cancer patients during the pandemic: Findings from Latin America, United States, and Spain.
Authors: Rosario Costas-Muñiz, Cristiane Decat Bergerot, Eida M Castro-Figueroa, Oscar Galindo, Fernanda Montana, Loida Esenarro, Lourdes Ruda-Santolaria, Tania Estape, José Carlos Sanchez-Ramirez, Normarie Torres, Victoria Susana Blinder
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2022)

e18542 Background: The use of ehealth digital interventions (DI) can have a great potential to improve adjustment of cancer patients and caregivers. However, limited information is available about use of ehealth with Spanish and Portuguese speaking cancer patients from US, Spain, and Latin America. This study sought to explore the use of ehealth or DI by mental health providers (MHP) with Spanish and Portuguese speaking cancer patients and to determine the impact of the national income levels (World Bank Classification) on the use of this technology. Methods: An online survey was conducted from March to July 2021, publicized through social media and an organization Listserv. MHP (psychologists, psychiatrists) who treated Latino or Hispanic cancer patients in Latin America, Spain and the US, were invited to participate. The survey obtained demographic and professional information, The survey included questions about the use of eight DI (mobile apps, internet videos, websites, virtual conferences, virtual support groups, text messages, social networks, and emails) during the pandemic. For the purposes of this analysis, we excluded telehealth. Results: Among the 114 MHP (97% psychology related) from 18 countries, 25% were from high income countries (HIC; US, Spain, Puerto Rico, Chile, and Uruguay), and 75% were from middle income countries (MIC; other Latin American countries predominantly Mexico, Argentina, Peru). They were all Hispanic/Latino and 82% females. The majority, 77% of MHP, reported using at least 1 of the 8 DIs with cancer patients, average of two DIs (M = 2.3, SD = 1.9). Half of the MHP use internet-based videos with patients, 44% websites, 37% mobile apps, 29% virtual conferences, 19% virtual support groups, 19% text messages, 18% social networks, and 11% emails. Apps were recommended to improve emotional well-being (55%), anxiety/stress (53%), sleep disturbance (37%), depression (20%), fatigue (17%), pain (16%), loneliness/social support (13%), communication problems (12%), and other physical symptoms (8%). Comparing the country's income level across the use of the 8 DIs, only the use of mobile apps (62% HIC vs. 28% MIC) and email support (24% HIC vs. 6% MIC) were found significant. Conclusions: Previous research (with predominantly North American and European samples) has found that DIs can help cancer patients with side effects, improving self-management and wellbeing. DIs were largely used by MHP to mitigate emotional and physical symptoms and to improve the QoL of Latino cancer patients and only MHP from MIC (compared to HIC) differed in their use of mobile apps and email support. These findings support the potential for DI to improve care, and symptom management in Latino cancer patients from Latin America, the US, and Spain.